SALEH COOPERATIVE ON CT, LOOKS FOR ECONOMIC REWARDS

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 SANAA 002507

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/04/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER MASS ECON PARM YM COUNTER TERRORISM
SUBJECT: SALEH COOPERATIVE ON CT, LOOKS FOR ECONOMIC REWARDS

REF: SANAA 2451

Classified By: DCM Nabeel Khoury for reasons 1.4 b and d.


1. (S) Summary: Ambassador met President Saleh September 4
in preparation for APHAS/CT Townsend's September 6 visit to
Yemen, and Saleh's November trip to Washington. Ambassador
said the highest priorities for discussion include CT and
security cooperation, economic reform and development, and
democracy. Saleh replied that Yemen was committed to being a
full partner with the U.S. on CT, but pointed to delays in
the delivery of U.S. military aid as a source of friction.
Ambassador and Saleh agreed on the need for a long-term
strategy for military assistance and a more structured
approach to intel sharing and CT cooperation. Saleh quickly
turned the discussion to economic aid, saying the ROYG will
provide a list of development projects for U.S. support.
Saleh also suggested there would be an imminent cabinet
reshuffle, and protested the conviction of Moayad in the U.S.
End summary.


2. (S) Ambassador met September 4 with President Saleh,
accompanied by DCM, DATT, OMC, and POL/E. Also present were
Minister of Foreign Affairs Qirbi and Yemeni Ambassador to
the U.S. al-Hajjri. Ambassador outlined the three major
themes for Saleh's November visit to Washington:
counterterrorism and security cooperation; economic reform
and development; and deepening democratic institutions.
Ambassador said that U.S. views on CT cooperation were
conveyed in the CT scorecard, provided to the Ministries of
Foreign Affairs and Interior. APHAS/CT Townsend's September
6 visit to Yemen will focus on these issues, said Ambassador,
and we are looking to hear your thoughts on what Yemen
expects from the relationship.

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CT Cooperation: "We've Achieved All We've Been Asked"
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3. (S) "Like it or not," said Saleh, "We're partners with the
U.S. in fighting terrorism." Saleh then declared that Yemen
has already achieved all that it has been asked to do, with
positive results. Any CT discussion, continued Saleh, is
just a confirmation of what is already happening.


4. (S) Saleh hit a different note, however, when discussing
delays in the delivery of U.S. military assistance,
specifically referring to F5s and C130s. "How can we be a
partner in CT," he inquired, "if you don't give us the
equipment we ask for?" Saleh asked for a more strategic
relationship, both on military and economic development,
rather than working on piecemeal projects. He then asked
that the U.S. inform him how much money it will allocate for
security in Yemen, so the ROYG can figure out how to spend it.


5. (S) Ambassador agreed on the need for a strategic
partnership, and said that the November visit should help
determine the next step in the relationship between the two
countries. We want to develop a strong relationship, said
Ambassador, with routine sharing of intel and security
information. In terms of military assistance, said
Ambassador, the U.S. needs detailed information on Yemen's
long-term strategic plans, and can then allocate resources to
meet those needs. He pointed to the Yemen Coast Guard and
Central Security Forces as examples of how the U.S. can
provide equipment and training once a strategy is in place.
Saleh agreed to provide such information, and promised to
supervise this process personally in advance of the visit to
Washington.


6. (S) On small arms and light weapons, Ambassador repeated
Saleh's request to bring him any information obtained on
illegal sales. Ambassador said we have such information and
Saleh agreed to a separate meeting to examine the evidence.
The President urged Ambassador to focus on bigger issues,
however, saying: "Kalashnikovs are not the real threat. We
need to remove landmines, explosives and heavy weaponry from
the local market."

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Saleh Makes His Fundraising Pitch...
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7. (S) The President quickly diverted the conversation to the
subject of economic development. The U.S. talks about
helping with development and corruption, said Saleh, but the
key to solving all these problems is reducing unemployment.
Saleh said the ROYG was composing a list of development
projects, one of which was completion of the Saila road/canal
in downtown Sanaa, for which he sought support from the U.S.
before the November visit. The President explained that he
was looking for accomplishments from the visit, and wanted to
"silence critics" who suggest that it is only a photo
opportunity.

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...Promises New Faces in ROYG
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8. (S) The President expressed frustration with his own
government, specifically the Minister of Planning and
International Cooperation Ahmad Sofan, regarding development
priorities. He quipped that Sofan thinks he has a
"government within the Government," and promised a change in
the Cabinet shortly. "Soon the old faces will disappear,"
said Saleh. (Note: Saleh's critique of MOPIC's programs
referred specifically to the use of development assistance
funds from the Department of Agriculture. End note).

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Moayad: "Not a Real Catch"
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9. (S) As the meeting ended, Saleh added his thoughts on the
arrest and conviction of Sheikh Moayad in the U.S. (reftel)
The U.S. created a big problem without any real evidence,
said Saleh. He downplayed support for Hamas, saying that
Moayad was insignificant and not much of a catch. The
President suggested that Moayad should be released, and
contended that if he were really dangerous "we'd catch him
ourselves." When pressed on the issue of Hamas, Saleh said
Yemen had ceased its support, as there was no need for
resistance in light of the ongoing peace process. Ambassador
suggested that the President make his position public.

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Cashing in on CT Cooperation
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10. (S) Comment: Despite broad agreement on continued CT and
military cooperation, we need to get Saleh focused on the
details of SA/LW and military aid. The upcoming visit from
APHAS/CT offers a good opportunity to advance a long-term
strategic plan for future cooperation. Saleh will advance
the position that Yemen is doing its part in the War on
Terror and therefore deserves broad economic support in
return. Saleh cited Yemen's previous relationship with the
USSR in suggesting a broad MOU be signed between the two
countries when he goes to Washington in November. We also
need to stress to Saleh that corruption in Yemen is pervasive
and affects all sectors, including security. Specifically,
putting the arms dealers out of business is essential to the
GWOT. More broadly, he has to launch a full-scale war on
corruption and he can rely on our help in this regard,
starting with the MCC program which is due to be approved for
Yemen in the next two months. End comment.
Krajeski